Read Online Blaecleah Brothers 5: Cowboy Up by Stormy Glenn - Free Book Online
Authors: Stormy Glenn
Tags: mm
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Elijah.
“Nothing is wrong. Brunch is ready. We should go in.”
“Ru, talk to me?”
Ruben’s hazel eyes were tumultuous when they finally met Elijah’s. “I used to fantasize about this, you know?” Elijah frowned. “Fantasize about what?”
“You.” Ruben glanced down at Alani. “And her.” Elijah’s confusion must have shown on his face because Ruben gave a little chuckle and turned to walk over to the window, staring out of it. His shoulders slumped a little as if the weight of the world sat on them.
“When I wasn’t following Mahra from place to place, I’d stay at camp with Alani. I helped out where I could. It really doesn’t take much to make someone who has nothing feel good—some clean water, a bowl of food, a safe place to sleep. Hell, even a kind smile works.”
Elijah stepped forward to stop Ruben from speaking when he saw Ruben start rubbing the back of his neck as if the tension there was tying him up in knots. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to hear what Ruben said. He always wanted to hear what Ruben had to say, especially when it came to him. But Ruben seemed so sad.
“Ru—”
“Those times when I could just sit in my tent and play with Alani or hold her”—Ruben’s rough laugh was filled with stress—“as few and far between as they were, those times, I wondered what it would be like to see you holding Alani. I fantasized about it. What I would do. What I would say.”
Elijah inhaled sharply at the tears glistening in Ruben’s eyes when he turned back around to face him. “Ru, wha—”
“Nothing I ever fantasized about ever came close to seeing you actually hold her,” Ruben whispered. He swallowed hard and looked away as if he couldn’t keep on watching Elijah hold Alani.
Elijah was dumbfounded. He couldn’t think of a single thing to say. He didn’t want to ruin the moment by saying something really stupid or something that might drive Ruben away from him. So he said nothing.
Ruben abruptly sniffled and rubbed his arm across his eyes. Once he was done, he stood up straighter and stepped toward Elijah, reaching out for the baby as if nothing life altering had just happened.
Elijah twirled away, holding Alani closer to his chest. “I have her.”
Ruben stared for a moment, and then deep, rich laughter filled the room. “You’re holding my daughter hostage.” Elijah felt his face flame. “Am not.”
“You are, too.”
“I just—I just want to hold her a little longer.” He liked knowing that Ruben fantasized about him, and if it only involved him holding Alani, he’d keep on holding the baby until his arms gave out.
“Okay, Eli, you hold her a little longer,” Ruben said as he wrapped an arm around Elijah’s waist and leaned up to plant a small kiss on Elijah’s cheek. “It might give me a chance to actually eat an entire meal in one sitting.”
Elijah frowned as he followed Ruben into the dining room. He really didn’t like the way that sounded. Ruben already seemed a tad on the lean side, despite the muscles he had. “You don’t eat?”
“Oh, I eat. I just don’t usually get the chance to eat everything on my plate with the little princess making demands.” Ruben grinned over his shoulder. “Alani is not known for her patience.”
“You need to eat.” Elijah didn’t like the idea that Ruben might not be getting enough to eat. It didn’t sit well with him. Ruben needed to take better care of himself, or Elijah would have to take over and do it for him. Elijah nodded toward the two vacant chairs at the table. “Go sit down. I’ll hold her while you eat.”
“Elijah, you really don’t have to—”
“Sit.” His tone brooked no disobedience.
Ruben blinked at Elijah for a moment then walked over and sat down without a word. Elijah smiled and followed behind him, sitting in the vacant chair beside Ruben. He jostled Alani around in his arms, setting her on his lap, her back to his stomach, and then he wrapped an arm around
“Nothing is wrong. Brunch is ready. We should go in.”
“Ru, talk to me?”
Ruben’s hazel eyes were tumultuous when they finally met Elijah’s. “I used to fantasize about this, you know?” Elijah frowned. “Fantasize about what?”
“You.” Ruben glanced down at Alani. “And her.” Elijah’s confusion must have shown on his face because Ruben gave a little chuckle and turned to walk over to the window, staring out of it. His shoulders slumped a little as if the weight of the world sat on them.
“When I wasn’t following Mahra from place to place, I’d stay at camp with Alani. I helped out where I could. It really doesn’t take much to make someone who has nothing feel good—some clean water, a bowl of food, a safe place to sleep. Hell, even a kind smile works.”
Elijah stepped forward to stop Ruben from speaking when he saw Ruben start rubbing the back of his neck as if the tension there was tying him up in knots. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to hear what Ruben said. He always wanted to hear what Ruben had to say, especially when it came to him. But Ruben seemed so sad.
“Ru—”
“Those times when I could just sit in my tent and play with Alani or hold her”—Ruben’s rough laugh was filled with stress—“as few and far between as they were, those times, I wondered what it would be like to see you holding Alani. I fantasized about it. What I would do. What I would say.”
Elijah inhaled sharply at the tears glistening in Ruben’s eyes when he turned back around to face him. “Ru, wha—”
“Nothing I ever fantasized about ever came close to seeing you actually hold her,” Ruben whispered. He swallowed hard and looked away as if he couldn’t keep on watching Elijah hold Alani.
Elijah was dumbfounded. He couldn’t think of a single thing to say. He didn’t want to ruin the moment by saying something really stupid or something that might drive Ruben away from him. So he said nothing.
Ruben abruptly sniffled and rubbed his arm across his eyes. Once he was done, he stood up straighter and stepped toward Elijah, reaching out for the baby as if nothing life altering had just happened.
Elijah twirled away, holding Alani closer to his chest. “I have her.”
Ruben stared for a moment, and then deep, rich laughter filled the room. “You’re holding my daughter hostage.” Elijah felt his face flame. “Am not.”
“You are, too.”
“I just—I just want to hold her a little longer.” He liked knowing that Ruben fantasized about him, and if it only involved him holding Alani, he’d keep on holding the baby until his arms gave out.
“Okay, Eli, you hold her a little longer,” Ruben said as he wrapped an arm around Elijah’s waist and leaned up to plant a small kiss on Elijah’s cheek. “It might give me a chance to actually eat an entire meal in one sitting.”
Elijah frowned as he followed Ruben into the dining room. He really didn’t like the way that sounded. Ruben already seemed a tad on the lean side, despite the muscles he had. “You don’t eat?”
“Oh, I eat. I just don’t usually get the chance to eat everything on my plate with the little princess making demands.” Ruben grinned over his shoulder. “Alani is not known for her patience.”
“You need to eat.” Elijah didn’t like the idea that Ruben might not be getting enough to eat. It didn’t sit well with him. Ruben needed to take better care of himself, or Elijah would have to take over and do it for him. Elijah nodded toward the two vacant chairs at the table. “Go sit down. I’ll hold her while you eat.”
“Elijah, you really don’t have to—”
“Sit.” His tone brooked no disobedience.
Ruben blinked at Elijah for a moment then walked over and sat down without a word. Elijah smiled and followed behind him, sitting in the vacant chair beside Ruben. He jostled Alani around in his arms, setting her on his lap, her back to his stomach, and then he wrapped an arm around
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